What is the Difference Between a TiVo and DVD Recorder?

We all loathe to miss our favourite television programs and movies; and DVD recorders and essentially both
TiVo help us rectify this problem. However, they are both very different pieces of hardware and honestly their functionality is a little confusing.

A DVD recorder, in its strictest sense, records data and instantly transfers the info to a piece of removable media like a DVD-R. TiVo is a service and digital video recorder (DVR) that has a hard drive and stores all of the recorded information directly within the TiVo box.

DVD Recorders Defined
DVD recorders are quite similar to their VHS predecessors. You can transfer your home videos to the DVD recorder and also hook up your own video camcorder and many DVD recorders allow you to really view one program while recording another. All of the info is transferred directly to a hard disc media like a DVD-R. No information is saved on a hard drive for later viewing.


You do not have to register for a subscription of any kind to use a DVD recorder.

TiVo Defined
Tivo is a subscription and DVR based service that gives you the aptitude program and record your favourite television programs and movies. You can schedule it to record every time to a complete series it is broadcast, automatically record movies with your favourite actors or directors, and you could begin seeing a program even if TiVo is still in the middle of recording it.

Which means they have a little internal hard drive that may store recorded programs like movies, then at a following date you may choose to record those movies to a DVD-R or RW. Now, you have a hard copy of your movie or television series. These combination DVD recorders and DVRs still work like a DVD recorder. You have to program it to record specific programs at a particular time. They aren't intuitive like TiVo.

Furthermore, TiVo DVR boxes may contain a DVD recorder. Thirdparty firms like Toshiba and Pioneer manufacture TiVo powered DVD recorder machines. Which means these DVD recorders support the TiVo subscription and certainly will work the same as a TiVo box, with the added DVD recording functionality.

The TiVo company doesn't sell these products. All boxes bought directly through TiVo are only DVRs and you can't transfer your recorded programs to a hard disc DVD